The Water Princess by Susan Verde

Brief summary: Gie Gie wakes before dawn by her mother to make the long journey to get water from the river. Gie Gie puts her empty pot on her head and sings along with her mother during their water journey stopping midway to rest under a karite tree and eat some of the shea nuts for energy. They reach the river where they talk and play with other women and girls while waiting in line for their turn to fill the pots. The sun begins to set as they return home where Maman must boil the water first for drinking. They wash clothes and prepare food when Father comes in from the fields. He picks her up and says, “My princess, you have returned with the water.”

Comments: The story is based on the high fashion African model Georgia Badiel’s summers as a girl in Burkina Faso where she gathered water by walking on a four mile journey with other women and girls in the village. Georgia Badiel created a foundation along with Ryan’s Well to focus on bringing clean water to villages by building wells. Girls do not get to go to school, because they must spend all day getting water for their families. This book would be a great lesson to teach our children of how precious water is and to not take it for granted. It may make them appreciate how easily we can get ours by simply turning a knob. I see this book as a Coretta Scott King Book Award contender.